Israel Adesanya Sends Strong Message to Dana White as Struggles Continue With UFC 315 Ticket Sales

Israel Adesanya isn’t headlining UFC 315. He is not on the card, is not marketing the event, and has no direct interest in the Bell Centre attendance. However, he has once again become the voice of what fans have been attempting to say for months. During a recent podcast episode on his YouTube channel, the former middleweight champion cut through Dana White‘s corporate optimism and pointed out the obvious: UFC cards are becoming boring, matchmaking is uninspired, and prices are hopelessly out of touch with reality.

He did not mince words when discussing the welterweight title fight between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena. “Belal has just been dealt a s— deck of cards,” Adesanya said, recognizing Muhammad’s talent but also the lack of buzz around him. “He doesn’t get finishes, but he’s a champion… The fight with Leon was the one that made me go, “What the f—’?” ‘The Last Stylebender’ was not criticizing Belal Muhammad, the fighter. He was criticizing Dana White’s inability to build stories and rivalries that make fans want to care.

Then came the big kicker: the ticket prices. When his co-host stated that nosebleed seats at certain UFC events were costing more than $300, Adesanya stopped mid-conversation. “What?” he said, clearly shocked. “Tariffs, bro—I blame the tariffs.” The comment was made as a joke, but the silence that followed said it all. Fans are expected to spend more than ever on events with less payoff. And when even a former champion is surprised at how high gate tickets have risen, it indicates a deeper issue—one that the UFC cannot meme its way out of.

April 6, 2023, Miami, Florida, MIAMI, FLORIDA, United States: MIAMI, FLORIDA -April 6: Israel Adesanya speaks to the press and the fans at UFC287 – Pereira v Adesanya 2 – press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz at Kaseya Center on April 6, 2023 in Miami, Florida Miami, Florida United States – ZUMAp175 20230406_zsa_p175_013 Copyright: xLouisxGrassex

It’s no accident that UFC 315 struggled to sell even half of its tickets. Set in Montreal, a city that once roared for Georges St-Pierre, the card lacks that one enticing name to draw fans in. There are no Canadian stars. There are no engaging narratives. Israel Adesanya’s message for Dana White is clear: if the UFC wants fans to keep coming back, it needs to start offering them something worthwhile. And while Dana White may believe that increasing ticket prices will help him shatter UFC gate records, that is far from the truth.

Despite a major hike in ticket prices, Dana White fails to shatter records

If Adesanya’s podcast was a public reflection of how fans felt, UFC Des Moines quietly confirmed those concerns with hard figures. The UFC’s pricing plan, which appears to be gaining traction, may boost short-term gate numbers, but it is alienating the sport’s core foundation: the fans that fill those seats. UFC 315 is hardly the first warning sign. Des Moines was intended to be a festive return after a 25-year absence, but instead it revealed how far out of touch the promotion strayed from its target audience.

In the early days, a front-row seat at a UFC PPV cost little over $100. That same seat now? More than $4,400. And for what? Des Moines put on a decent performance, but the outcome was far from record-breaking. While UFC London broke records earlier this year with a $4.7 million gate, Des Moines fell well short. With 15,627 attendees, the event grossed only $2.47 million, which appears acceptable until you understand it was due to inflated ticket costs and a smaller-than-expected turnout. That is not growth. That is a profit-mimicking gap.

The uncomfortable truth is that the UFC has misinterpreted growing ticket prices as rising demand. However, fans aren’t buying it anymore—literally. People aren’t showing up to assist Dana White in setting a new gate record. They want value. They want cards that are worth the money, names to cheer for, and stories that have meaning. Right now, they’re getting none of it. If the UFC continues to ignore the reaction, future events—whether in Montreal, Des Moines, or elsewhere—will not only underperform, they’ll empty out. What do you think? Will Dana White take note of it? Let us know in the comments.

 

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